Attachment for automobiles.



S. E. AUSTIN.

ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION man FEB. 16 1916.

S. E. AUSTIN.

ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION HLED FEB-16 1916. 1,,Q4U,@U6w Patented Sept. 11, 191?.

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ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16 I916- Patented Sept. 11, 1917.

A TTOMJEVJ 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

S. E. AUSTIN.

ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES. APPLICATION mm FEB. I6 1916.

Patented. Sept, 11, 1917.

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a ATTOBIJEW mmwmwm marmmwmn Application filed February 16, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, SAMUEL E. AUSTIN,

residing at Garden City, in the county of Finney and State of Kansas, have invented a new and improved Attachment for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification. This invention is an attachment for aut0- mobiles adapted for being quickly applied to the vehicle to serve as a side curtain and as a sun or wind shield and is more especially designed for use in connection with vehicle canopy tops and so mounted on the vehicle body that it does not interfere with the raising or lowering of the top.

In the practical application of side curtains for automobiles heretofore much used and in which is included a flexible cord or cable and curtain sections pendently sup-- ported on the said cable, so far as I know, the curtain suspension means is fixedly attached to the vehicle top and so mounted that when not to be used, the curtain sections are slid along; on the suspension cable, gathered and then made fast on the underside of the top by suitable fastening means.

lit has been found that in curtains con-' structed as above generally outlined, the cable suspension interferes with, and renders it dithcult to lower the top, particularly when handled by one person.

Again in the use of side curtains in which is included, a series of curtain sections pendent from an overhead suspension, special means for securing the lower curtain ends is usuall required, which takes time in ad justing t e said lower ends as conditions may make necessary.

My invention, in its generic nature, embodies an improved curtain attachment for automobiles that can be almost instantly applied while the vehicle is at rest or in motion and as quickly removed from the vehicle body, and that can be readily and compactly rolled up for conveniently storing it under the seat.

Furthermore, my improved curtain at tachinent includes means for so supporting a single piece curtain that extends the full length of the side of the vehicle body and cooperatively connects with sup orting elements removably .mounted on t e body for holding the curtain along the side thereof in such manner that the occupant of the vehicle Specification of letters Patent. w 3

Serial No. f-3,t'365.

may conveniently and quickly adjust extend up from the side rails o as boa partly or wholly close the side space beti the top and the said side Iturthermore, my iiu'enti on includes l whereby the entire length of the curt be raised from the lower end up; thereof between the ends either raised the bottom or lowered from the top, the remaining portions thereof extend hltl full vertical. distance between the t U the body ail, and which also has proi. for disconnecting the front and the portions of the curtain and their atta supporting means and close them a their next adjacent curtain suppe fixedly sustained in such latter poo ll ly curtain attachment in its d structure, includes simple and ineiipe means for holding the extreme front end of the curtains to the side arms of the machine wind shield, tension means, that form L of the suspension cable to which. the curtaiui is applied, for holding the cable taut and allow for necessary extension of the cable when the upper edge of the curtain of one portion is pulled down at an angle to the remaining upper edge portion thereof; certain other details of construction and novel combination of parts being also embodied in my improved curtain attachment, all of which will be hereinafter first described, specifically pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automobile, with my curtain attachment applied, the curtain being shown at its vertically en tended position to form a complete closure between the canopy or top and the body rail.

Fig. 2 is a side view of a portion of the vehicle body and the top, with my curtain applied, the latter being shown at an intermediate position, closing over but one-half the space between the top and the body.

Fig, 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, the can tain being at the position shown in lFig. 2 with that portion over the rear door shown as pushed up to provide space for readily passing through the doorway.

Fig. 4- is a view similar to Fig. 2, with the front end of the curtain, together with its front support, closed up against the next ad jacent supporting member or standard.

Fig. 5 is a view showing the rear end of the curtain with its support moved up against the next supporting member.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the several standards that form the curtain supporting means and the upper and lower expansible cables that are held in the upper and lower hemmed portions of the curtain.

Fig. 7 is atransverse vertical section of one of the standards.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical section of the telescoped ends of the two members that form the standard, and illustrates the friction spring bearing for holding the upper telescopic member to its vertical adjustment relatively to the lower member.

Fig. 9 is a similar view of one of the friction sleeves that slidablv engages the lower standard member, and to which the lower edge of the curtain connects.

Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view partly in section, that illustrates one of the bracket bearings that support the curtain standards.

Fig. 11 is a modified construction of such bracket bearing, the same including a latch bolt device for engaging the lower end of the standard to hold it against pulling out of the bearing.

Fig. 12 is a view that illustrates one of the side curtains rolled up for storing.

Fig. 13 is a detail of apart of my curtain device showing the manner of connection to the support.

Fi 14 is an enlarged detail perspective showing the lower hem and the pocket for the support.

Fig. 15 is a detail section illustrating my means for the attachment of the bracket to the car body.

Fig. 16 is a side elevation of my improved curtain attachment applied to an automobile with the top down.

In the drawings I have shown, a conventional type of touring car to which one of my curtain attachments is applied for use as a side curtain, and adjusted for closing the entire side of the machine between the drop portion of the top 1- and the side rails 2 of the car body,.and in the said showing,

I have illustrated five standards removably supported at their lower ends in brackets 3, secured to the body side, substantially flush with the top rail and to the said standards is secured a curtain 4, formed of a single piece, but which may be in sections extending across predetermined portions of the open sides of the motor car, and each section .constituting a complete curtain structure. I

prefer, however, to make the curtain of a single member as shown, since when of a single piece extending the full length ofthe car, it serves either as a side curtain, as a 'sun shield or as a wind shield.

The bracket bearings 3 one of which is shown in detail in Fig. 10, each consist of a body portion having a tapered aperture 30 that extends vertically through the body, to keep the bearing socket free from dirt, and three laterally projected tapered lugs 31 for fitting into apertures 32, provided in the side of the auto body, and held by screws 33, and the washers 33 on the inside of the body, and at this point it should be mentioned making the holes in the body for the bracket lugs is the only change or alteration of the vehicle necessary for the practical application of my invention.

The standards before referred to are all constructed alike and each is comprised of a lower member 7, whose bottom end is tapered to fit the tapered aperture 30 in the bearing bracket 3 into which it is seated when the curtain is to be operatively applied.

While the tapered end of standard member 7 and the tapered aperture in the bracket 3 is sufficient, under ordinary circumstances, for holding the curtain secure on the machine body, a latch device 8 such. as is illustrated in Fig. 11 may be used for locking the standard member 7 securely in its bearing 3, and the standard 7 has an annular groove 71 to receive the latch 8 as shown.

designates the upper standard member and it telescopically engages the lower member 7 as is best shown in Fig. 7, which shows the member 70 as passing through a screw cap mounted on the upper end of the member 7 and through a series of bow springs 99, that frictionally engage the member 7 O to hold such member to any of its vertical adjustments, such mounting of the upper standard sections providing a simple means for holding the standard member 70 to any of its vertically shifted positions from the mid line of the side space between the top and the side rail of the body, up to and between the pendent flaps of the top, and to prevent pulling the upper member out of the lower standard 7, the lower end of the said upper member 70 has an annular flange at the lower end that engages a screw stop 10 in the upper end of the lower or tubular standard 7 as shown.

The curtain body is secured on each standard in any approved manner.

In the drawing, the curtain is shown as having vertical pockets 11 secured on the outerside of the main curtain body, that receive their respective standards and at the upper end, each upper standard member 70 has a cap piece 72 and eye portions 73, to which the upper or suspension cable or cords 74 connect, and the said cords 74 are held in the upper hemmed edge of the curtain, see Fig. 3 whichalso shows each cable member 74, connected with each pair of adjacent standards 70 and provided with an elastic (coil spring) portion 76.

8 indicates the lower cable sections, also provided with elastic portions 80, and are joined with adjacent pairs of standard members 77. Cables are held in the hemmed portions 85 on the lower edge of the curtain.

On each standard member 7 is slidably mounted a cuff or sleeve if, that includes a screw cap 90, which contains spring bearings 91 for frictionally engaging the standard 7, to hold the sleeves at any of the vertically adjusted positions on the standard 7.

Each SleQNG 9 has eye portions 93 to which the opposite ends of the cable sections 8 connect as is clearly shown in the drawing. To hold the front end of the curtain taut, when it is applied for use, suitable means are attached to such end, for engaging the side bars of the front wind shield.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings, the complete construction, the manner of its use and the advantages of my improved attachment will be readily apparent.

By reason of the simple cooperative connection of the several parts, the same can be almost instantly applied for use, since all that is necessary is to slip the several standards into the brackets on the side of the car, and by pulling the upper standard sections up to their limit, the curtain will open out and become a full side curtain, and when desired to close only one-half the space between the top and the side rail of the body, the occupant of the car simply need but push the upper standard members 70 down into the lower members 7.

Since the upper cables and the lower cables are held taut between their points of connection with the standards, it follows that the curtain may be readily pushed up from the bottom edge at any point between the standards or pressed down to the several positions indicated in the drawings, and automatically held at their different points of adjustment by reason of the frictional engagement of the upper standards 70 with the lower standards 7 and the like engagement of the sleeves 9 on the standards 7.

What I claim is 1. The combination with the vehicle body and a top carried by said body and a plurality of spaced brackets along the top rail of the body; of a curtain attachment comprising a plurality of standards adapted to be removably mounted on and projected vertically one from each of the said brackets. a flexible curtain that extends across all of the standards, each standard being vertically extensible, and means for flexibly connecting the upper edge of the curtain to the upper end of each of the standards, other means for connecting the lower edge of the curtain with each of the standards, said upper and lower curtain connecting means consisting of elastic cable sections, one section for each pair of adjacent standards.

In an attachment of the character described; the combination with an automobile body and a plurality of spaced brackets along the side of v the body, a plurality of standards, one for each bracket, said standards being adapted to be removably mounted 011 their respective brackets and each including a lower stationary member and an upper member that telescopically engages with the lower member, a flexible curtain that extends the full length across all of the standards, means for flexibly connecting the upper edges of the curtain to the upper standard members, other means for flexibly connecting the lower edge of the curtain onto the lower standard members, the means for flexibly connecting the lower edge of the curtain to the lower standards including elastic cables hemmed in the lower edge of the curtain, and means for connecting their ends to adjacent ones of the lower standard members, said last named means including sleeves frictionally engaging the said standards.

In an attachment of the character described: the combination with an automobile body and a plurality of spaced brackets along the side of the body, a plurality of standards, one for each bracket, said standards being adapted to be removably mounted on their respective brackets and each including a lower stationary member and an upper member that telescopically engages with the lower member, a flexible curtain-that extends the full length across all of the standards, means for flexibly connecting the upper edge of the curtain to the upper standard members, other means 4 for flexibly connecting the lower edges of the curtain onto the lower standard members, the means for flexibly connecting the lower edge of the curtain to the lower standards including elastic cables hemmed in the lower edge of the curtain, means for connecting their ends to adjacent ones of the lower standard members, said last named means including sleeves frictionally engaging the said standards, said means for flexibly connecting the upper end of the curtain to the upper standard members in cluding elastic cables hemmed in the said upper edge of the curtain and connected at their ends to adjacent ones of the upper standard members. 

